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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.) 1

T. M. KENNEY'& F. E. MASON.-

'GASH CARRIER. V No 311,011. Patented Jan. 20,1885.

Wiiq E3 5 E I35 I Ja s m. v Lo V M W 5 (No Model.) 1 v V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' T. M. KENNBY 85 P. E. MASON.

CASH CARRIER, v No.311,011. Patented Jan.20,1885.

N4 PETERS, Pholvuihogmphur, Waihinglen, 0. c

)ATENT @rrren.

THOMAS M. KENNEY AND FRANCIS E. MASON, OF OAUBRIDGE, MASS.

CASH-CARRlER.

ZLPEGIFICATZON forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,011, dated January 20, 1885.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, Tnonns M. Knivivnr and Framers E. Mason, both of Cambridge, county of MiddleseX, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Cash- Garriers, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

Our invention relates to a caslrcarrying apparatus for store service,of that kind in which the cash or other article to be conveyed is placed in a suitable carrier or receptacle, and the latter then propelled along tracks to and fro between the different parts of the store or building, as may be desired, appliances being provided for removing the carriers from the tracks at different points, so that one track may serve for a large number of stations.

In one system heretofore in use the carriers or receptacles consist of spherical balls which roll upon two rails forming a track, which is sufficiently inclined to afford the necessary propulsion by gravity, thus requiring a eonsiderable vertical space for the apparatus when the track is of considerable length, and the apparatus is on this account ill adapted for many buildings in which a easlrcarrying apparatus is desired.

in the apparatus heretofore in use in which a single track serves for several stations the carriers have usually been of different sizes, corresponding to the different stations, and have themselves acted upon tripping devices or triggers controlling switches by which they are caused to take differentpaths or be delivered at various different points, as desired. This method of distributing the carriers is objectionable, especially when there is a large number of stations, as it is necessary to have a certain amount of difference between the different sizes, and consequently the larger ones are very cumbersome.

The present invention has for its object to,

remove such objectionable features; and it consists in an apparatus having a substantially horizontal track provided with means for propelling the carriers independently of the action of gravity. The carriers are of uniform size, and are in this instance shown as spherical in shape, but are provided with means to cause them to rotate about a single definite axis in their progress along the track,and the said carriers for the different stations are pro vided with distinguishing devices co-operatin g with discl'iarging devices, whereby each is delivered at the proper station.

Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of a cash-carrying apparatus embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a transverse section of the 50 track and one of the propelling devices on a larger scale; Fig. 3, an elevation of one of the propelling devices 5 Fig. 4, a plan view of the track at one of the stations, showing the de vices for applying the carriers to and deliver- 6 5 ing them from the track Fig. 5, a detail showing in elevation the apparatus or device for delivering the carriers, Fi 6, a detail thereof, showing the track in transverse section; Fig. 7, an elevation of the device for applying 0 the carrier to the track; Figs. 8 and 9, central sections of one of the carriers,showing it closed and opened; and Fig. 10, an elevation of a series of carriers distinguished for different stations.

The apparatus comprises two parallel tracks, A A B B, the construction of which is best shown in Fig. 2, they consisting of pairs of rods or wires supported by suitable hangers, G, from the ceiling above or on standards from below, as may be found most convenient, and constituting rails upon which the carriers 1) travel. The said carriers are spherical in shape,and are provided with a circumferential groove, as shown in Fig. 2, co-operating with a central guiderail, A 13 to cause the said carrier to rotate about one definite axis, instead of, as heretofore, turning about any axis that may happen. The track A Ais intended to convey the carriers from each and. all of the different stations along it to the one main or cashiers station, and the track'B B to return the carriers from the said cashiers station each to its proper station along the track.

The carriers are applied to the track A A 9 5 to be conveyed toward the cashiers desk by the appliances best shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 7, the said track at each station havinga branch, to a, with a hinged vertically-movable section,

a a, suitably shaped at its end to receive the Ice carrier upon it, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 7, the said hinged section a a being raised by a suitable actuating device, shown as a cord, 0, passing over a pulley, c, and provided with a suitable ring or handle, 0', Fig. 1, by depressing which the section a a may be raised to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 7, causing the carrier to roll down it, acquiring sufficient impetus to carry it for a short distance along the main track A A. The junction of the branch a a with the main track is provided with an automatic switch, shown as a portion, a of the main rail A, hinged or pivoted at the junction of the rails a and A, and acted upon by a spring, a", tending to keep it in line with the main rail A, but yielding under the pressure of the carrier and permitting the rail of to move to the position to guide the carrier from the rail (4 to the rail .A, as will be readily understood. The central rail or guide-wire, A is continued into the branch, so that the carrier may be applied in proper position, and the said guideway is dis continuous at the junction,or may be slightly depressed between the points 2 3, Figs. 4 and 7, to permit the carrier to pass readily either over the main track or from the branch.

The carriers are propelled along the track by propelling devices E, (best shown in Figs. 2 and 3,) consisting ofa mechanical motor or train of wheel-work, c, actuated by a weight or spring, 6, which may be wound from time to time,as found necessary, by means of a cord, 0 wound upon a drum, 6 connected with the winding-arbor of the clock-work. One of the arbors of the said clock-work is provided with one or more propelling-arms, a which in the rotation of the said arms will engage the carrier D, moving along the track above it, and

impart an additional impulse to the said carrier sufficient to propel it to the next'propelling device. The arms 6 are arrested, except when a carrier is passing over them, by a stopping device,shown as a projection, e engaged by a releasing device, 6 pivoted at the under side of the track, and having an arm, a, that is engaged by the carrier D when the latter reaches it in its movement along the track, thus releasing the projection e and permitting the .arms 6 to revolve when just in the proper position to engage the rear side of the carrier as it moves along, as will be clearly understood by reference to Fig. 3. The arm 6 of the releasing device is forked, and the propelling-arms eare offset, as shown, to passat the side of the guiderail A The carriers are thus conveyed along the track A A to the cashiers desk, where the proper change is made in their contents, and they are returned along the track 13 B to the different stations from which they were received, they being propelled by devices E, the same as already described. The carriers are discharged each at its proper station fromv the track B B by the devices best shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6. The carriers belonging to each station are provided with distinguishing devices, shown in Fig. 2

as pins or annular collars cl, which are of different lengths, or project different distances from the main spherical surface of the carrier, those belonging to the station nearest the cashier s desk being longest. At each station the track B B is provided with a movable rail or switch, I), pivoted at 3, and acted upon by a spring, b, which normally holds it in line with the rail B, its free end being supported in a socket, d, and it being held by a latch, f, (see Fig. 6,) connected with the end of a plate, f, pivoted below the track and held up by a weight, f, or equivalent, tending to raise the latch f into engagement with the movable rail. The releasingplate f is of sufficient length to be touched by one of the projections, d, of the carriers, provided the said projections are long enough to reach the said plate, and the plates at the different stations are placed at different distances below the track, those at the station nearest the cashiers desk being lowest, and being reached only by the longest projections on the carrier, so that the carriers having the longest projections will engage the said plate, depressing it and the latch f, which latter is thus disengaged from the rail 12, leaving it free to turn on its pivot, so that the weight of the carrier pressing against it willthus turn it aside,permitting the carrier to drop off at the side of the track into a suitable receptacle. The carriers having shorter projections will pass over the said plate without touching it, and consequently without releasing the movable rail b, so that the said carriers will continue to move along the track until each arrives at its own station,where the plate f will be set at such distance from the track as to be touched by the projection of the carrier belonging to the said station, causing the said carrier to be discharged, as just described. The central guiderail, B, will be discontinued at the discharging-point, or will be depressed, so as not to afford a support for the carrier, which will thus rest only on the rails B b, and will tend to press the latter aside.

In addition to the projections d, the different carriers may be further distinguished, as shown in Fig. 10, by making the guidegrooves of different depth in the carriers belonging to the different stations, those belonging to the stations most remote from the cashiers desk being deepest; and in co-operation with the carriers distinguished in this manner the plates f will each be provided with an up wardly-projecting finger, in line with central guide-rail, B The said fingers f will be engaged by the corresponding carriers at the bottom of the grooves. The fingersj at the stations nearest the cashiers desk project least above the guide-rail B and are conseqently not touched by the carriers having the deep grooves belonging to the more remote stations.

The carriers themselves may be made of any suitable or usual construction to receive cash or other articles within them. As shown in Figs. Sand 9, they consist,essentially,ofa solid outer portion, g, provided with a longitudinally-movable sliding case or drawer, h, acted upon by a spring, t, tending to three itv out from the main caseg, it being held within the latter by means of a suitable catch or locking device, at. The said slide or drawer has a cover, it, pivoted to it at o, and provided with a projection, p, engaged by an inclined surface or ledge r at the interior ot' the main case,

which raises the said cover as the drawer is moved out from the said case, as shown in Fig. 4. i

The drawer may contain a yielding support, t, for the contents to be carried, and the body of the carrier is provided with a spring, a, which presses the cover a down when the drawer is within the body g, as shown in Fig. '8.

Ne claim- 1. The combination, with a track and carriers adapted to travel thereon, of a stationary' propelling device connected with the said track, for imparting impulses to the carriers in their direction of movement, substantially as described.

2. The main rails constitutingasupportingtrack, and the guiderail, combined with spherical carriers having a circumi'crential groove co-operating with the said guide-rail, substantially as described.

3. The main track for conveyingcarriers toward the Ct shiers desk, combined with lateral branches at the diii'erent stations, and the pivoted vertically-movable section whereby the carrier is raised from a level below to a level above the main track, substantially as described.

4. The main track composed of main rails for supporting and a guiderail i'or determining the axis of rotation of a carrier, combined with the pivoted section having correspond ing supporting and guide rails, substantially as described. t

5. The main track for conveying carriers toward the cashiers desk, combined with a lateral branch and a pivoted rail at the junction of the main rail and branch, the said pivoted rail being normally held in line with the main rail, but adapted to be moved by the carrier passing from the branch to the main track into position to connect the branch and main rail, substantially as described.

6. The main track comprising twrosupportingrails for conveying carriers from the cashiers desk, one of the said rails having a movable portion, combined with a latch for holding the said movable portion in line with the main rail, the said latch being "controlled by the carriers, whereby the movable rail is released to discharge the carrier belonging to the said station, substantially as described.

7. The main return-track comprising two supporting-rails, one of the said rails having a pivoted laterally-movable portion, combined with a spring tending to move the said movable rail into line with the main rail, alatch to retain it there while a carrier is passing, and a tripping device for the said latch, operated by a portion of the carriers, whereby the latter are discharged laterally from the track, substantially as described.

8. The main return-track comprising apai r of rails, one having pivoted laterally-movable portions at the different stations along it, combined with latches engaging the said movable portions, and latch-operating plates located at diii'erent distances from the track at the different stations, substantially as described.

. 9. Themain return-track comprising a pair of rails, one rail having aniova-ble portion at each station, combined with latches for the said movable portions, having tripping portions located at different positions with relation to the track at the diii'erent stations, and carriers having engaging portions in different positions with relation to the track, each cooperating with the latch of the movable rail at the station to which the carrier belongs, substan tiall y as described.

10. The main return-track consisting of two supporting-rails and a guide rail, one of the said supportingrails having a movable port ion at each station, combined with latches for the said movable portions at each station, tripping-finger for the said latches in line with the guide-rail, and projecting different distances above the same at the different stations, and carriers grooved to engage the said guiderail, the grooves of the carriers of the differcut stations being of diilercnt depth, substantially as and for the purpose described.

11. The combination, with the track, of a propelling-motor and a stop therefor, operated by the passing carriers to release the said motor and permit it to impart an impulse to the carrier, substantially as described.

12. The combination, with the track, of a propelling device composed of a motor having ropelling-arms to act on the carriers, and a stopping device for the said motor operated by the passing carriers, substantially as described.

13. The combination, with the track, of a stationary propelling device comprising a train of \VllLCbWOlk, and an actuating device and windingcord therefor, to operate substantially as described.

The track having supporting and guide rails, combined with the propelling device, composed oi'a motor and propelling-arms, and a pivoted stopping device for the said motor, the said propellingarms being offset to pass atone side of the said guiderail, substantially as described.

15. In a cash-carrying apparatus, a carrier having a body adapted to roll about a single axis, combined with a 1ougitudinally-movable drawer and spring and latch therefor, substantially as described.

16. The carrierbody and longitudinallyniovable drawer therein, combined with the hinged cover for said drawer, operated by the In testimony whereof we have signed our movement of the drawer, substantially as denames to this specification in the presence of 1c scribed. two subscribing witnesses. 17. The earrier-bodyg, and drawer therein, J THOMAS M. KENNEY. 5 combined with the hinged cover forthe drawer, FRANCIS E. MASON.

and spring u, whereby it is pressed down upon \Vitnesses: the contents of the drawer, substantially as I Jos. P. LIVERMORE,

described. W. H. SIGsToN. 

